MBMS Teacher, MB Police Employee Killed in Las Vegas Shooting

The Manhattan Beach community was in grief and shock on Monday morning upon learning that two of its own were among those killed in the mass shooting on Sunday night in Las Vegas.

The Manhattan Beach Unified School District on Monday morning confirmed that Sandy Casey, a Manhattan Beach MIddle School special education teacher had been fatally injured in the shooting. Additionally, the Manhattan Beach Police Department confirmed that Police Records Technician Rachael Parker was also killed, and an MBPD sworn officer suffered minor injuries.

The mass shooting has been declared the worst in U.S. history with at least 58 killed and more than 500 injured.

Superintendent Mike Matthews reached out to parents in an email this morning "in shock and grief."

According to Matthews, Casey had attended the three-day Route 91 Harvest Festival along with a group of Manhattan Beach educators. He reported that those who were in the vicinity but were were unharmed included MBMS Principal Kim
Linz, MBMS teacher Debbie Dreiling; school psychologists Marjorie Questin and Emily
Allen; MCHS and Meadows instructional assistant Chris Willemse; and
Pennekamp Principal Karina Gerger..

"As you can imagine, this loss is impacting many of our staff members
deeply, and while we collectively grieve, we will be working to provide
support to everyone affected," said Matthews.

Matthews told parents that teachers at MBMS would be sharing the news with their classes today to "be sure that all students hear accurate information from an
adult rather than through the rumor mill."

"All staff at all of our
school sites have been informed as well, and they are working to keep
things calm and the day as typical as possible in order to support our
students," added Matthews. "We have mobilized counselors who will be on campus at MBMS and
other schools as needed, throughout the day today and over the coming
days to provide support for students, teachers, and parents. Teachers
will monitor and work with students to ensure they are connected with
those resources as needed."

Officer Kristie Colombo of the Manhattan Beach Police Department reported that four MBPD employees were off-duty and attending the Las Vegas concert where the mass shooting occurred.

Two police department employees were shot. One of them was a sworn officer who suffered minor injuries. Rachael Parker, a Manhattan Beach police records technician, was shot and ultimately lost her life in the hospital.

"She was employed with the Manhattan Beach Police Department for 10 years and willbe greatly missed," said Colombo in a statement.